Fresh data published by Eurostat suggests that Latvia is a place where tourists like to linger a bit longer than in the other Baltic states.  

In 2024, tourism trips made by EU residents to another EU countries had an average duration of almost 1 week (6.8 nights), ranging from a mere 3.1 nights for trips to Estonia and 3.6 nights in Belgium to over 8 nights for trips to Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain and Cyprus. In Latvia they do not linger quite as long (5 nights) but a bit longer than in Lithuania (4.7 nights)

 

Inbound visitors coming from other EU countries spent on average €851, ranging from €344 in Slovakia (a country seeing many tourists from neighbouring countries on a short trip) to €1 476 in Cyprus, followed by Greece (€1 370), Ireland (€1 231) and Spain (€1 120). These 4 destinations have relatively long stays of around 8 nights or more on average and a prevalence (78% of trips or more) of air travel to reach the country.

Per night, visitors from the EU to other EU countries spent on average €125, ranging from €72 for trips to Romania, €78 to Slovakia and €94 to Bulgaria or Luxembourg, to over €170 per night for trips to Finland, Cyprus and Estonia. For 3 EFTA countries, the average expenditure per night of EU visitors was higher than the EU average, peaking in famously expensive Iceland at €169.

As well as staying longer, visitors to Latvia tend to spend slightly more than in Estonia and Lithuania, too, with the average spend per trip coming in at more than 600 euros, or around 140 euros per night.

It is also notable than nearly two thirds of EU tourists to Latvia arrive by plane (63%), a far higher figure than for Lithuania (34%) and Estonia (13%). Only in Estonia was waterway the dominant means of transport for inbound visitors (65% of all intra-EU trips) most likely because of the popular ferry connection between Tallinn and Helsinki. The share of waterway was particularly high also for intra-EU trips to Finland (29%) and Sweden (21%). Buses and coaches were relatively significant (at least 10%) for intra-EU trips to Lithuania, Slovenia, Latvia and Hungary.

The most popular months for Latvia as a tourist destination were August (20.7% of all trips made by EU residents) and April (16.9%), suggesting that Spring and Summer breaks both have appeal.

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